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UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) -Emergency call-up Jesse Joensuu scored his first NHL goal in his first game and the New York Islanders beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 Monday night in a matchup of cellar dwellers in the league's two conferences.

The Islanders, who own the league's worst record (20-36-7), got offense from another unexpected source as defenseman Bruno Gervais scored for the first time in 161 games - dating back to April 18, 2006.

Dean McAmmond, playing his fifth game with the Islanders since being acquired from Ottawa, scored his second goal since his arrival and wore an 'A' on his jersey in the absence of captain Bill Guerin and suspended alternate Brendan Witt. Jeff Tambellini snapped a 14-game goal drought, and Jon Sim had three assists in the only game on day's NHL schedule.

The Avalanche got two goals from Ryan Smyth, a one-time Islanders player who spurned their attempts to re-sign him in the summer of 2007. Colorado (28-35-1) is last in the West.

Joensuu, brought up from Bridgeport of the AHL on Monday because Guerin is still in trade limbo, smacked in a loose puck from in front during New York's two-goal second period that sent Colorado to its fifth straight loss.

The Avalanche started its six-game road trip with a win at Washington, but dropped the final five. They were outscored 14-3 in consecutive losses to New Jersey and New York's Rangers and Islanders.

Yann Danis made 20 saves, outdueling Colorado's Andrew Raycroft, who stopped 27 shots.

Guerin sat out a second straight game as the Islanders, the bottom team in the Eastern Conference, try to trade him before the deadline on Wednesday. A deal was expected over the weekend after Guerin was pulled from the lineup following warmups before New York played Buffalo on Saturday, but one didn't materialize.

He is still expected to be gone before the Islanders host the rival Rangers on Thursday, but coach Scott Gordon said he would have the captain back in the lineup in the unlikely event a trade isn't completed.

Joensuu probably will be back in the minors by then too, Gordon said, but made a case to stay when he gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead 2:31 into the second. Gervais pushed the advantage to two goals with 6:56 left in the period when he knocked in a rebound of Sim's shot.

Smyth, who heard boos every time he touched the puck, got the Avalanche into a 1-1 tie 33 seconds into the middle period with a power-play goal, and then brought Colorado within 3-2 at 1:02 of the third.

Notes: Islanders RW Trent Hunter sat out due to a lower leg injury. He will be re-evaluated on Tuesday. His absence caused New York to play a player short for the second straight game.